I Need To Find A Way To Make Her Love Me Again - Chapter 45

The mist swirled, soft and thin yet persistent. Liu Ruoni’s gaze fell upon the human ghouls she had struck down, she watched as they scrambled to their feet and rushed back toward her.

Because she carried the “Spirit Link Pearl” given to her by that woman, the ghouls perceived her as one of their own. They did not attack, they merely searched the area for the figures who had fled.

The sounds of whistling and fighting in the distance grew louder. Estimating that Yan Xingyu and her party had made it far enough, Liu Ruoni withdrew her barrier and dissipated all traces of the talismans she had just used.

Within a few breaths, she returned to the interior of Yulan Palace. Searching the area, she found no sign of Yi Rong. Suddenly, a man’s voice echoed in her ear.

“Where are they?”

A flicker of unreadable emotion passed through Liu Ruoni’s eyes, but her tone remained subservient. “This disciple is incompetent. I let them escape.”

“With the human ghouls present, how could they have fled? Ruoni, you didn’t use to make such oversights.”

Suspicion colored the man’s words. Liu Ruoni feigned trepidation. “Sect Master, it was as if that young Palace Master Yan had received outside help. Her power surged, and she even summoned Yin Ke. I was truly unable to contend with her and could only watch them escape.”

“Fearing I might expose my identity, I did not pursue them further and hurried back to report to you.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Pingxi’s expression shifted as if he had remembered something. A moment later, his face returned to normal. He looked at the deep pit in the ground and commanded, “Go and assist Yan Xiaoling.”

Liu Ruoni followed his gaze downward. “As you command. And the Sect Master?”

Xu Pingxi snorted coldly. “That brat from the Jiang family has tracked us all the way here. It’s time I taught him a lesson.”

“Sect Master Jiang might have an opinion on that,” Liu Ruoni remarked.

“I told him long ago to keep a leash on his people. Since he hasn’t, I’ll discipline the boy on his behalf.”

Anger seeped into Xu Pingxi’s voice. With the critical moment approaching, he was already frustrated by Yan Xiaoling’s unresolved messes; the interference of Jiang Qilu’s younger brother only added fuel to the fire. He turned and vanished quickly.

Liu Ruoni did not move immediately. She lowered her eyes. Beneath the swirling mist, countless grotesque arms began to reach out. As the human ghouls emerged one by one and swarmed toward the pit, a Blood Swallow trailed behind them.

Sensing something, Liu Ruoni’s fingers danced as she drew a talisman in mid-air and slammed it downward. A massive explosion erupted, sending mud and stone flying.

Two figures leaped from the debris. The human ghouls that had been blown to pieces were being stitched back together by white silk at a visible speed, congregating once more.

Yan Xiaoling coughed twice, glaring at the woman in black. “Are you trying to blow me up as well?”

Liu Ruoni watched the two emerge from the underground. As the ghouls rushed toward Yi Rong, she replied to the interrogation: “I was trying to help you. Besides, with so many ghouls protecting you, you won’t die so easily.”

“Hypocrisy,” Yan Xiaoling spat. “Why did Xu Pingxi bring you along?”

“Naturally, because I am peerless in both talent and skill,” Liu Ruoni smiled, though there was no warmth in her expression.

Yan Xiaoling didn’t bother with the pleasantries. She saw Yi Rong binding the attacking ghouls with Shadow Fish. Although the ghouls could break free quickly, it prevented them from landing a fatal blow, making Yan Xiaoling impatient. “Then why aren’t you capturing Yi Rong?”

“What use is capturing her?” Liu Ruoni asked. “Her true body was trapped in the Eastern Tai Sea by your design. No one can find her, and no one can hurt her.”

“Injuring her clone will wound her true body,” Yan Xiaoling countered. “What, have you gone soft at the final hour?”

“How could I? We are rarely so united in purpose,” Liu Ruoni replied. She commanded the Blood Swallow to dive.

A red streak flashed past her. Yan Xiaoling watched as the Blood Swallow, swift as an arrow, tore through the entanglement of ghouls and Shadow Fish, aiming straight for Yi Rong’s head.

Yan Xiaoling laughed. “With such devotion, I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you when Sister wakes up.”

“Unnecessary,” Liu Ruoni replied coldly.

Hearing their conversation, Yi Rong’s face filled with shock. She ignored the constant attacks, tanking the hits to get closer to the duo. “What do you mean by that?” she shouted.

Seeing her reaction, Yan Xiaoling felt she had regained control. She smirked. “I’m going to bring my dear sister back to life, of course.”

“You must miss her too, Yi Rong. Why don’t you join us? Let’s resurrect her together. Sister would be so happy to see you.”

Yi Rong didn’t know if Yan Xiaoling was lying. During the war with the demons, she had been forced to prove her innocence by merging with Jilian, which restricted her movements. In her haste, she had left Yan Rou in this woman’s care.

The result was Yan Rou being tortured to death.

Aunt Yan had also been killed by her. Yi Rong had seen with her own eyes that Aunt Yan’s body was properly laid to rest by Palace Master Guan, she believed Guan would never desecrate her remains. She didn’t dare believe the words spoken before her.

As if reading her mind, Yan Xiaoling continued, “Why do you think I took Rou’er away? I wanted the heart inside her body to bring Sister back.”

“But Sister anticipated me. She placed the Heavenly Heart Curse on me, preventing me from taking that heart, the heart capable of resurrection directly from Rou’er.”

“I exhausted my efforts, only for Rou’er to misunderstand me more and more. If she had just handed over your heart, I would have found a way for her to live.”

“Then our family could have been reunited.”

“Alas, Rou’er was just as stubborn and disobedient as Sister.”

“No matter. I have plotted for years, and the time is near. Once these members of the Yan Clan are turned into ghouls and enter the formation to force the Crane Tower to appear, I can petition the immortals to bring Sister back.”

She stared intensely at the approaching figure. “Yi Rong, join us. Let’s bring Sister back together.”

Liu Ruoni noticed Yi Rong’s movement falter. Her eyelids flickered slightly as she interrupted the manipulation. “Don’t just pull anyone into this. It’ll ruin the plan.”

Yi Rong looked up at the woman standing on the branch. “Is this true?”

Liu Ruoni’s expression didn’t change. She countered, “If it required the total annihilation of every soul in Yulan Palace to bring Palace Master Yan back to this world, would you be willing?”

Yi Rong could not answer.

Seeing her silence, Liu Ruoni let out a soft laugh. “I would.”

As the words fell, the Blood Swallow entangled with the Shadow Fish suddenly transformed, swelling to ten feet tall. Its blood-red feathers stood on end like rows of needles, ready to fire.

Yan Xiaoling sensed danger, and a second later, a deafening explosion occurred. She spat out a command, pulling all the ghouls in front of her to act as a shield, while holding her sword up to form a barrier against the surging wave of blood-arrows.

The shockwave was like a mountain collapsing, flipping the surrounding ghouls over. Even Yan Xiaoling nearly lost her footing. When the air cleared, she saw the ghouls pinned to the ground by blood-arrows.

Yi Rong was gone.

She turned back to see Liu Ruoni, her blood-wings spread, looking down at her coldly.

“You did that on purpose?” Yan Xiaoling hissed.

“Did I?” Liu Ruoni replied neutrally.

Yan Xiaoling laughed out of sheer anger. Looking at the gathering mist covering the mutilated remains of the ghouls, she said, “Fine. I won’t settle scores with you now. We are on the same side, after all.”

“I won’t play my usual games, and neither should you.”

Liu Ruoni’s response was somewhat detached. “That strike surely wounded her. Yi Rong might be hiding nearby. Shall we search?”

“If she has escaped our sight, who could find her?” Yan Xiaoling replied. “As long as she is tied to Jilian, she is no threat.”

“Let’s find Xu Pingxi. That boy Jiang Yueren is slippery, we can’t let him get the better of us. He is the one we truly cannot let escape.”

“Fine,” Liu Ruoni agreed.

The Blood Swallow behind her extended its wings and landed before Yan Xiaoling. The latter was surprised. “Rare for you to be so helpful.”

As she stepped onto the bird, Liu Ruoni said, “I have always been this helpful.”

Yan Xiaoling gave a half-smile. “It seems I misunderstood you in the past.”

Liu Ruoni showed no hint of nostalgia. She simply flew off, carrying the other woman away.

Amidst the mist, a figure rose from the pile of corpses. Yi Rong held the small Blood Swallow Liu Ruoni had hidden in her robe, watching it flutter its wings.

As she watched the two fly into the distance, the surrounding human ghouls ceased their movements. She looked at the severed heads and crudely reattached limbs of the Yan clan members, people who had once looked after her.

The wind howled. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she suppressed her grief. With a wave of her hand, she commanded the Shadow Fish to bury the fallen ghouls deep underground. Her resolve hardened, and she turned to leave.

Someone was still waiting for her.